Wells Fargo Retail Finance Provides $46 Million Credit Facility To Wickes Furniture

Furniture World Magazine

Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC, a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company announced that it has provided a $46 million credit facility for Wickes Furniture Company, Inc. The credit facility will be used for working capital and general business purposes. "We are extremely pleased to renew our business relationship with Wells Fargo Retail Finance", said Scott Castell, CFO of Wickes Furniture Company. "Our relationship with Wells Fargo Retail Finance spans almost eight years and we truly value WFRF's continuing partnership and support." "Wickes Furniture is one of the nation's leading furniture retailers that offers it customers a large assortment of quality furnishings at value pricing", said Bill Mayer, President and COO of Wells Fargo Retail Finance LLC. "We are extremely happy in renewing our relationship with Wickes and in providing a flexible credit facility to help facilitate the company's continued growth and prosperity." Wickes Furniture Company, Inc.: Wickes Furniture Company, headquartered in Wheeling, Illinois, is one of the country's largest furniture retailers with 42 store locations, 5 distribution centers and 3 Clearance and Budget Outlets, located in Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Southern California and Portland, Oregon. The company, founded in 1971, continues to offer a wide selection of moderately priced home furnishings emphasizing today's style, fashion, quality and affordability. Wickes Furniture Company has built its reputation and success on offering quality merchandise at affordable prices and immediate availability. For more information about Wickes Furniture, visit www.wickesfurniture.com. Wells Fargo Retail Finance, LLC, headquartered in Boston, is a leading specialty finance company focused on providing capital and related financial services solutions to retailers throughout North America. Comprised of former retailers and financial executives, Wells Fargo Retail Finance brings relevant industry expertise to its retail lending services. As of September 30, 2002, it had more than $2 billion in loan commitments to the retail industry. Wells Fargo Retail Finance is a subsidiary of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) , a diversified financial services company with $334 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance from more than 5,400 stores and the Internet (www.wellsfargo.com) across North America and elsewhere internationally. -